Blind-stop



BLIND STOP. I

Patented Sept. 15,1891.

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A. P. SMITH.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS P. SMITH, OF ROCK FALLS, ILLINOIS.

BLIND-STOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,595, dated September 15, 1891. Application filed June 22 1891. Serial No. 397,087. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS P. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Falls, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Blind-Looks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention has reference to a species of adjustable lock for the slats of blinds in which a serrated wire attached to the vertical central strip of the blindis held adjustably in aoatch rigidly seated on the lower rail of the blind.

The purpose of my invention is to afford simple and reliable means for holding all of the slats uniformly in any desired position by devices located on the inner side of the blind, so as to be readily and conveniently controlled from the inside of the building. I attain these purposes by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure-1 is a perspective of a portion of an ordinary window-blind provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of the spring and retaining-catch.

In the drawings and in this specification there is shown and described the ordinary window-blind; but by obvious changes my invention can be applied to any of the numerous types or forms of window or door blinds.

A is the lower rail, and B B the stiles of an ordinary window blind.

C O are the usual slats, centrally pivoted at each end in the usual mode in theinner faces of the stiles B.

D is the ordinary vertical rod, pivotally attached to each of the slats at about their longitudinal centers and utilized to coincidently changeandregulateuniformlyallof the slats O.

E isa wire, preferably of spring-brass,having a looped lower end F and the open upper ends G G bent, respectively, inward and inserted in a suitable opening H, formed transversely in the vertical rod D. The ends G G are inserted in the hole H from opposite sides of the rod D, respectively, and said ends meet at the center of said rod D, the ends G Gbeing sprung outwardly sufficiently. to permit the ends G to enter the opening H, and thereafter the elasticity of the wire E serves to retain the ends G G in said opening.

J is a metallic catch havinga fiat portion 1. at its lower end and the upper portion 2, bent from the blind at right angles to the part 1. The part 1 of catch J is seated on the rail A by means of the central screw 3, and by turning down the corners 4 4 of said part 1 and forcing them slightly into the rail A, which, in conjunction with the screw 3, will hold said catch rigidly on said rail; or, if preferred, two screws may be passed through the part 1 into the rail A.

In the bent portion 2 of catch J there 1s formed the opening K, of sufficient size to permit of ready passage therein of the spring wire E. In cutting the opening K a metallic tongue L is formed integral with part 1, but bent upward in line with part 2. The tongue L forms a center or core, around which is suitably coiled the spring-wire M. On the upper surfaces of that portion of the wire E which in the oscillation of the slats B pass to and fro in opening K are provided slight serrations N, which engage at any desired locality with the upper wall of opening K of the catch J, being held in engagement by the outward pressure of the spring M. The lower end F of the spring E protrudes sufficiently below the opening K to afford a suitable point for the engagement of the thumb or finger of the operator, and said lower end is preferably turned slightly from the blind, so that the spring-wire E, when pressed toward the rail A and thereby released from engagement w th thewallof theopening K,can be readily moved lengthwise by one finger or the thumb.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The spring M holds the serrations N of the spring E normally in engagement with the upper wall of the opening K. Thereby the several slats O are rigidly retained at any deend F of the spring E, and Without any change 111 the position of the thumb or finger utilized for the operation, the slats can be pushed to any desired position,'and upon the release of .the end F of the springE the spring M throws the serrations N again into engagement with tne upper wall of the opening K, when the slats O are rigidly held in-suoh new position. The advantages of my invention are, first, v ts simplicity and cheapness and non-liabillty to get out of repair or to become inoperativeg second, the fact that it can be attached to anyordinaryblindJWithout cutting or weakenlng the latterin any degree, by simply formmg the transverse holes H in thelower end of the rod D and attaching the catch J to the lower rail A; third, my invention can be nianipulated with one hand, as the inward pressure upon end F of spring E coincidently coinpresses the spring Mand disengages the serrations N, when spring M can be readily and smoothly moved over spring E as a support.

By the use of my invention the slats O can be held entirely closed or folded into lateral contact, or with their sides parallel with each other or in any intermediate position.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The rod D, provided With lateral hole H, spring E, provided with serrations Nand having its open ends sprung into the opening H of said rod, the catch J, suitably seated upon the rail A and having its upper portion 2 bent outwardly from said rail and provided with opening K, adapted to receive spring E, core L, seated in the lowerportion of said opening K, and spring M, seated around said core, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUSTUS P. SMITH. Vitnesses JOHN G. MANAHAN, ADDA E. WARD. 

